LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — Given recent fires across California, the value of first responders has been placed under the public eye, now more than ever. With the areas affected by the Palisades, Eaton and Hughes wildfires only beginning to heal, health and safety remain a top priority for both county residents and members of emergency services.
The term “first responder” refers to people who either work or volunteer to help others in an emergency, and it’s often used in reference to firefighters, paramedics and law enforcement. While the responsibilities of someone working in the field may vary depending on their job, all consist of working to keep members of the public safe from harm during disasters and other urgent situations.
For example, while both firefighters and police officers may work together to evacuate citizens during a fire, firefighters would also be in charge of containing the damage, while someone in the police department may supervise surrounding areas where people might be leaving.
Though their names may imply that paramedic teams and firefighters are extremely different, both often work together when calls arise. Notably, the Los Angeles County Fire Department is particularly intertwined with its emergency medical teams. Their overview booklet from January 2020 reporting 109 paramedic units, along with having received over 330,0000 calls for its Emergency Medical Services.
However, first responders aren’t just responsible for handling large emergencies and disasters. When the time arises, people like paramedics, police officers and firefighters are the first people to answer an emergency call in person. Depending on the type of situation, a paramedic may be the first person to help someone needing medical care, which could range from life-threatening trauma to small injuries or ailments.
Their job mainly consists of keeping those in their care in good condition and getting their patients to ambulances and hospitals for more proper treatment. Police officers and law enforcement, on the other hand, generally keep the public in order and ensure that more citizens do not get hurt and that crime and violence are suppressed.
“Just as the communities we serve grow and diversify, so does the County of L.A.,” former fire chief Daryl Osby said in the county fire department’s 2017-2021 plan. “We continue to partner and collaborate on the many challenging issues confronting our community.”
Fire departments also cover numerous specialties and often have multiple divisions dedicated to more specific emergencies. For example, the L.A. County Fire Department has dedicated lifeguard, hazardous material, forestry and fire prevention divisions that work to increase public safety in other ways.
While jobs in some of these sectors may not be considered to be part of “emergency response” on their own, their purpose to mitigate the number of dangerous situations that may occur through less urgent means remains incredibly important for the department and the public as a whole.
“The best thing about being a paramedic was that you get to help people. You are making someone’s day better, and you’re there trying to help them on the worst day of their life,” Mr. Weatherman said.
